Athlete frequently asked questions

Athlete frequently asked questions

If you’ve been injured, you’ll need to be seen as quickly as possible.

The sooner you are treated, the better. Please don’t delay seeing a specialist.

When can I get back to training?

Today. We design your rehab and fitness program to start the day we see you and work around your injury. It doesn’t end until you are fitter faster and stronger than you were before you were injured.

Can I return to full sports after a meniscus replacement?

Yes.

What is the best tissue to use for an ACL or PCL reconstruction?

In our hands a sterilized bone patella tendon bone works the best for all types of athletes.

Do you recommend reconstructing the PCL?

Almost always knees do better over time with stable ligaments, so yes we do reconstruct them.

Will I be weight bearing after my surgery?

Most of our surgeries allow you to be weight bearing as tolerated immediately after surgery. Often you use crutches for a few days to help take some pressure off your surgical knee and then wean off to walking on your own. Our physical therapy section on our website has a detailed list of the protocols for all of our procedures and it gives you all of the general guidelines of what to expect after surgery as well as how you will progress with your exercises over the initial weeks and months.

Will I have to wear a brace initially after my knee surgery and then what about for playing sports?

We use braces in the initial post-operative period in some knee surgeries. In general, the goal will be for you to work on strengthening your knee and regaining your proprioception so that you don’t become reliant on a brace. Braces can make you stiff and can affect your muscle recruitment, so our goal is to wean you off a brace as soon as is appropriate.

If I have tissue from a donor, is there a chance I could reject the tissue?

The tissue you receive will be avascular, meaning there is no blood supply, so there is no chance of you rejecting it.

How will I know if my surgery has worked?

Many patients ask if they will need follow up MRIs to know if their surgeries were a success. The first measure of knowing that you are doing well is how you feel. With some surgeries we do track your progress with annual MRIs and x-rays.

You are told you have knee arthritis. The advice the doctor gives you is to go home, rest your knee, take anti-inflammatory drugs, lose some weight, wait until you are older and then get an artificial knee replacement. This advice is awful. Here's why.

In high school and even earlier, serious athletes are continuing to train year-round in their single sport. The result? A loss in general fitness and an increased injuries. CrossFit’s training platform may be the antidote.